Uzbekistan Prime Minister Abdulla Nigmatovich Aripov (back left) and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang (back right) attend a signing ceremony at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Tuesday. Bilateral cooperation agreements were signed as both sides called for more trade and people-to-people exchanges. Photo: AFP

An Iranian cleric and a young man walk past a mural of the national flag in Tehran on Tuesday. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani told the US to “take the first step” by lifting all sanctions against Iran, dampening the likelihood of meeting US President Donald Trump. Photo: AFP